July 28

I Stand In Awe

Today’s Scripture Readings:  Psalm 79: 1-8 | 2 Chronicles 21:1 – 23:21 | Romans 11:13-36 | Proverbs 20:7

Today’s Scripture Focus: Romans 11:13-36

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God That God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen” (Romans 11:33-36 NIV).

Some truths set my mind on a major “spin cycle”—my mind spins and spins and spins and just can’t quite grasp the complexity of the truths. The trinity is like that. The incarnation—Christ coming as God in human flesh—is another such truth. Thinking about eternity makes my mind spin until it locks up tighter than a Windows operating system and crashes. Trying to understand God’s purposes and sovereign working is another truth that sends me looking for the “control—alt—delete” keys to restart my brain. Evidently, it did for Paul too. But when Paul contemplated those “mind blowing” truths, they always seemed to lead him to worship the God whose plans are too complicated and glorious for us to figure out.

Knowing God leads us to worship. But often it is the mysteries—the things we don’t know and can’t comprehend—that take us to a higher place in our worship. They makes us stand in awe of God and his wisdom that is “just plain” beyond our ability to comprehend.

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”

God’s plan is sometimes difficult to understand. Especially when we try to figure out how he’s “working all things together for good.” There’s a lot of mystery there. Some things are beyond our knowing. But instead of trying to figure it all out, worship the God who knows and understands and is working it all out according to his plan in the most mysterious but glorious way.

“God is too good to be unkind. He is too wise to be confused. If I cannot trace His hand, I can always trust His heart.”  –C.H. Spurgeon–

Heavenly Father, I stand amazed in your presence. Oh, the depth of the riches of your wisdom and knowledge. Your ways are higher than mine—your thoughts well beyond my ability to comprehend. So I stand in awe and worship and praise you. Guide my path today. Give me your wisdom. Allow me to walk in the reverence and awe that comes from the wonder of who you are. Amen.